It started off all wrong. He burned the dinner he had made his mother because he was late getting out of the office (but managed to be in one piece; Emily had not been so fortunate). He did notice the slight changes in the team, but didn't have the time nor did he want to get involved in the growing tension between Hotch and Em. He caught the looks Emily shot Hotch behind his back. They weren't good. And he had to tell the team soon. Garcia might never forgive him if he let this slide. He could only imagine what--
A doorbell chime broke him out of his thoughts. Dashing to the door he whipped it open, grinned wide and prepared to greet his mother. Only that's not who was outside his door.
"Sarah, Desi? What are you doing here?"
His two sisters stood side by side, both with matching suitcases. Sarah looked unimpressed but Desi hugged him. "Where's mom?" He said, thunderstruck.
"Parking the car." Sarah pushed past him and set her bags down. Derek pulled Desi into the kitchen while Sarah petted his dog, Clooney.
"What the hell is going on Des? Why are you two here? It's only supposed to be mom."
"I know, but when Mom told Sarah, she wanted to come down as well. And since they were going, I thought why not me?"
"Because I am having enough problems as it is without adding Sarah to the mix!" He growled.
"She promised to be nice. It would have happened sooner than later."
"I'd rather later then sooner." He said under his breath.
He didn't get any more out of Desire before his mother was ringing the doorbell. This time Clooney greeted her as well. Derek bet Clooney had never had so much attention.
"Hi mama." He hugged her tightly. She hugged him back, but stiffly.
"Did you burn something in here Derek?" Sarah pestered wandering around his apartment.
"No." He lied. Sarah backed off, and went back to snooping.
"You look great." He told his mom. She nodded, but she looked worse for wear. He didn't have any idea what he had put her through these last few days.
"So do you." He got a kiss on the cheek. "I don't know where to put you all." He laughed.
"Oh we already worked that out." They explained to him. "Sarah and I will take your bed, Mama can take the spare bed and you can sleep on the couch."
"Clooney sleeps on the couch."
"Then you can sleep on the floor." His mother and sisters looked at him expectantly. "All right, I guess." There was nothing he could really do now. Lexi was going to get one hell of a surprise.
*~*
He took them out to dinner that night, to a nice Japanese restaurant. His mother was telling a story about one of her Chinese students bringing sushi to class for her, when Sarah interrupted and turned the conversation towards Derek and his recent failures. It was all part of the Morgan-reunion.
"So how old is she?" Was the first question.
"She's 29, 30 years old."
"Derek honey, that's quite an age difference." His mother pointed out. Derek shot a look to Desi saying 'help me out here'. "Not really Mama. It's only 5 years. Daddy and you were like what 7 or 8 years apart." She jumped in. His mother, thankfully, accepted that.
"When do we get to meet her?" Derek paused to think. He had asked Lexi over for dinner the next night, but now the plan was different. He had to spring his two sisters on her.
"Tomorrow." He answered vaguely.
"Where is she from?" This he could answer well. He told them of how Lexi, or Alexia, was Greek but born in South Africa before coming to Virginia.
He tried answering every question they asked, but it got harder and harder. He began to realize: he didn't really know this woman at all. He didn't know why or when she left Johannesburg. He didn't know where she went to high school, or what books she liked to read. And she was going to have his baby? What made it even worse, is that he could tell his mother knew that.
How disappointing he must be to her. But she didn't rub it in.
"Derek, how in the world did you get this woman to date you?" Sarah teased. Everyone laughed, including him, because he really had no idea how this relationship was different. Besides holding off on jumping into bed. And at first he hadn't had any expectations their relationship would go anywhere's. Most left within the few weeks. He made this last a glorious 4 months. Until he knocked her up.
"Derek honey? Your staring off into space. Desi asked you a question."
"I really don't know how the answer Des." He finally admitted. "You can ask her tomorrow."
*~*
The day had finally come. He slipped away earlier that morning to warn Lexi, but got her answering machine. Now he couldn't be sure if she knew about his sisters.
Speaking of which, he noticed for the first time how small his apartment was. Having three other woman living with him would have driven him crazy, but in the recent 'disaster' as he overheard Sarah saying, he bit his tongue. It was cramped and badly laid out. Not what he had dreamed in living when he was married and...
That scary thought 'when he was married' nearly knocked the wind out of him. He had not thought of that before. Was he supposed to purpose or something. Is that why his mother had demanded to come down with his sisters. A shot-gun wedding? This was the twenty first century, he wouldn't need to marry her. "God no." He gave a fake laugh to assure himself.
"What's so funny?" Desire happened to be behind him. He debated confiding in her. 'Cause she was so good at keeping secrets and doing what she was told.
Should he tell her that Lexi was hardly speaking to him, maybe because he hadn't purposed already and was a 'ruined' woman. Why else would she still be so cool and distant. He choose the short and sweet version.
"Would you rather purpose and she say no?" was his baby sisters clever answer. No he would not rather that. That would be beyond humiliation.
*~*
His mother was making dinner, when Lexi arrived. She looked pretty enough in her blue dress; not to tacky or 'trying to hard'. Just right. The look on his mother's face told him she was very surprised. So was Sarah. They must not have believed his description of Lex.
"Lexi, this is my mother, and my sisters Sarah and Desire." He introduced. They all shook hands and sat down in his living room. He waited for the bloodbath to begin.
"It's nice to finally meet you." His mother started. Derek paced behind the couch, fidgeting with everything his hands touch. This was do or die, plus an awkward silence.
"So Derek told me you teach the tenth grade." Lexi stated, surprising everyone.
"Why, yes I do." His mother gave a small smile of approval.
"I've heard that's one of the hardest grades to teach. I would never dream of attempting that age group."
"You're interested in teaching? Derek never told me that."
"Well, I'm working on the tenure track at Maryland. But my mother taught 9th and 10th grade math when she worked at Notting West Academy."
The conversation flowed easily from there. Lexi complimented his sisters subtly and proved how smart she was. Sarah was shocked into silence, finding no possible flaw in his 'girlfriend'.
He let the woman chat for as long as they liked. It was such a relief it was going so well. They ate supper, all the while talking congenially, and had coffee afterwards. He was amazed how nice everyone was being. Not the usually 'rip and tear' routine his sisters pulled.
"So, you'll be joining us for service tomorrow morning?" His mother invited. Wait- what? He thought to himself.
"Church?" He asked. He hadn't been in a church since—well since he left home.
"Yes Derek. I've never been to the Holy Trinity in Washington. I'd like to go. Will you come with us? We can go to brunch afterwards and sort out this whole pregnancy mess." Ah. His mother was a very clever person. Making him go to church, what did she think? That god was going to force him to breakdown, declare undying love and purpose to the girl he knocked up. No thanks.
"Certainly." Lexi agreed.
"Do you have a problem with that Derek?" His mother challenged him. He swallowed heavily. Would he be willing to sit through an hour of gruelling sermon? "Ah...sure mama. Anything for you." Damn, he thought. So close to having a good evening.
"So your Catholic? That's surprising. I thought you would be Orthodox."
"Actually, there are a lot of Catholics in Greece. Especially where my family came from." His mother nodded. Derek good mood had turned sour. He really did not want to go to that church.
They talked more about religion. He just sat there scratching Clooney's back, no longer paying attention. Lexi left around nine.
After Sarah and Desi excused themselves to bed, he was totally alone with his mother.
"So what do you think of her?"
His mother sighed. "She is a nice girl. But you hardly spoke to her tonight. Why?"
"She's still mad at me, I think." His mother shrugged. "That's not good."
"I'm not going to marry her just because she's pregnant mom."
"I wasn't saying you had to. It would be nice, though." She said quietly.
He didn't say anything back. "Very well. Good night Derek." She kissed him goodnight.
He sighed.
"She wouldn't marry me anyways."
*~*
You have no idea how much trouble this chapter caused me. So, I apologize for the bad quality, I just needed to get somethings out there.
Also, this chapter wasn't up to my usual scrutiny of chapters.
Don't forget to review. Very important.